Dedicated to the Character and Cruelty of Stanford Football

07/25/2011

Silver Squad #15: OG Eric Heitmann

If you've been paying attention, you know that we've already talked about #15 on the list, offensive tackle Chris Marinelli. So why do we have another #15?

True confession. I forgot all about Eric Heitmann (1998-2001). I made the original list of twenty-five a few weeks ago, and although different players have risen and fallen as I've thought more about them, the original twenty-five remained intact throughout.

But last week as I was doing more research, I came across a name that didn't sound familiar to me at all. He played in all eleven games as a freshman, then became a starter at right guard as a sophomore on Stanford's Rose Bowl team. He continued a high level of play during his junior season as he started every game for the second year in a row and was named second team All-Pac-10. Following his senior season he was chosen All-Pac-10 and All-America.

All of this leads to one question: how is it that I don't remember him at all? Offensive linemen are typically anonymous except for when they make mistakes, so maybe that explains it. Eric Heitmann simply showed up and did his job every day, never missing a game in his Stanford career, and he was one of the best offensive linemen in the country.

*My first thought was to try to come up with a list of the best Stanford football players of all-time, but I quickly realized that I'm not qualified. I've only been watching Stanford football since the fall of 1987, so I can't really comment intelligently on players who suited up before then. Sure, I know that Jim Plunkett belongs, but I know nothing about Randy Vataha. Sports Illustrated once named Ernie Nevers the greatest college football player of all-time, and that's certainly good enough for me, but how can I possibly rank him against players of a more modern era? So I decided to create a list of the best Stanford players that I've actually seen in my time as a fan, and since that's roughly twenty-five years, I'm calling it the Silver Squad. (Catchy, isn't it?) Anyway, I'd love to hear your own memories of these players, and I won't be offended if you argue about who should or should not have been included on this list. Enjoy.

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